Citiesonahill: Quick Hits-Porn and Other Public Uses

A little-noticed, jaw-dropping exchange about the appropriate use of eminent domain between a federal judge and a lawyer representing Brooklyn's massive Atlantic Yards projects:

"What I'm hearing is that so long as a defendant can articulate a public use," Judge Levy asked, eminent domain is "per se constitutional?"
"Your honor, I would say yes," Mr. Braun said, adding that "the role of the court really disappears" beyond conducting that initial review.

This answer did not seem to satisfy Judge Levy. Soon thereafter, he put forward a hypothetical: What if developers wanted to seize 22 acres of private property and build luxury housing on 21 acres of it and place a school on the remaining acre?

Under Mr. Braun's argument, Judge Levy noted, "Any condemnation would pass the test so long as a school was put in, regardless of the detriments."

As Mayor Fenty fights to gain mayoral control of the schools, his opponents huff, puff and collect $20 donations to fly in New York City Council member and professional windbag Charles Barron. Here's the article, and make sure to watch the video of Barron and others to hear protest politics at their most rote.

How do you circumvent Byzantine zoning regs in San Francisco? Less housing, more porn.